Just a Psychic?: Power of Air Book 1

by D. L. Harrison

  She questioned, “Dangerous people? Shouldn’t you be coming to Frank and I for that? And what makes them so dangerous?”

  I was in trouble. I could tell her about me, so she knows it’s nothing the police could actually handle or should get involved with. But would she believe it? Or have me committed? I never should have involved her at all. I thought about contacting Diana again, just have her fix it, but the thought soured my stomach, I didn’t want to do that to Aiya. Stupid, I know. But it would feel like a betrayal.

  I sighed, “I know I am not being very forthcoming, but there is a reason. I can’t tell you what tonight was about, I can’t even tell you what that woman did to be dragged off unconscious in restraints. If you really must know more, have a need for some kind of context to prove it’s not a police matter…” Or a human one…

  “I can tell you about me, but you will think I’m nuts, it is way stranger than being a psychic.”

  Aiya seemed to be thinking over what I said. I concentrated on Aitheria’s energy and feel and felt it click easily. Huh, this might get easier with practice after all. Or maybe it’s part of this morning too, the power did feel closer.

  I sent, “What do you think I should do?”

  Aitheria shrugged, “I like her and trust her, but as to how she would take news of the supernatural? Might be anywhere from ‘I knew it!’ to ‘you are nuts!’ with you on the floor shaking with a taser dart sticking out of your chest. Ok, maybe not that bad.”

  I sent, “Can you help me prove it?”

  Aitheria replied, “How?”

  I sent, “Well I really don’t have any control of magic yet, if she asks for proof… Can you make a little twister or something? Carry something to her?”

  I winced. It felt wrong asking her to do a parlor trick. It would also be deceptive, but I could honestly say to Aiya I asked the air magic to do it. I just wouldn’t tell her it was the sentient kind and let her draw her own conclusions. Assuming she even demanded I tell her what I could, but of course, she was a cop. Police officers aren’t known for suppressing their curiosity or letting things go.

  She was still thinking it seemed so I asked curiously, “So why did you follow me and not wait for tomorrow?”

  I wasn’t expecting her to blush. She muttered, “I was worried about you, you weren’t making sense to me. You still aren’t. You needed my help but wanted me to stay out of it. I need to know the reason.”

  Oh boy. “Okay, I’ll tell you, but at my apartment, come up for a bit. Just… Not while you’re driving.” My imagination was showing little twisters on the steering wheel as she screamed and crashed into a telephone pole. No vision, just common sense, no putting the operator of the vehicle into shock when she was driving. It was a rule.

  She raised her brow but didn’t say anything. We pulled up in front of my apartment building a short time later. I didn’t want to do this but short of tinkering with her memories I didn’t see how I could avoid it. I had no doubt she would lose her patience and arrest me at some point if I didn’t speak up.

  Aitheria finally answered me, she had been looking thoughtful, “I am prevented I think. I cannot expose magic to humans who do not have it. Even with you being the one telling her, I can’t be the one to prove it.”

  I was with a mix of disappointment and relief as I sent, “Don’t worry about it, I am sorry I asked.”

  I did feel relief. I had felt guilty asking my guardian to perform for me like some servant. I was however also panicking, how could I prove it? All I could really do was my psychic thing, which doesn’t prove sorcerer at all. It would all add up to the headline, unbalanced psychic kidnaps young woman, search for victim ongoing.

  Aiya might be a friend now but she wouldn’t let me kidnap someone, not under normal human circumstances anyway. As it was she had been very patient and my time to explain was here as I unlocked my front door and led her into the small apartment.

  I took a deep breath. Then I brewed some coffee to give me another minute to organize my thoughts before delving into the conversation.

  I went back out and sat next to her on the couch. All my thoughts went to hell as I blurted it out, almost like ripping off a Band-Aid, “I’m not a psychic, I am a sorcerer.”

  I know… Smooth it was not.

  I blushed when her eyes narrowed and she said, “Not funny, now tell me what the hell is going on.”

  I could hear small tinkling giggles in my mind from Aitheria, glad someone found it funny.

  I continued on as if she hadn’t shown disbelief, “I can’t tell you about the others, but suffice it to say they are like… Police for the supernatural. That woman was evil and not human at all actually. I have been tracking a few people for them, like I do for you and Frank. Except it wasn’t working for them because of a spell so I needed to track them by their cell phone, which is why I called.”

  I blushed again at how crazy that sounded. A spell blocked my magic powers… Right. I was the sorcerer of air and I hardly believed it.

  I could see in her face she wasn’t ready to believe something that crazy, but I could tell she knew I believed it to be true and wasn’t making a joke. I got up to get us a drink, not the coffee but a couple of beers, and went back out and handed one to her.

  Her voice shook when she said, “You know that is crazy right?”

  Nodding in complete agreement I said back seriously, “Absolutely. What is worse is I can’t prove it at all. I just got my power on my birthday and I have no idea how to control it, there is also a problem of it being locked up and out of my control because of suppressed memories of my childhood. But I should have that handled soon if you can be patient enough, or open minded enough to wait.

  “I can use the powers that work like a psychic’s of course, but that doesn’t really help at all. I really do think I’ll have a handle on it soon. I haven’t even told Frank yet and I am not sure I was going to. Like I said I just found out, and it’s not something you just tell people.”

  She took a long drink of the beer. Probably trying to decide how to get me locked up and to figure out if I am dangerous or not. Maybe that’s just my imagination. I decided to stop babbling and waited to see if she had any more questions.

  She did have a question, though not the one I was expecting, “Another one?” Her face was blank and her voice shaky.

  I went into the kitchen and grabbed a second beer and brought it out to her as I watched her finish off the first. This continued for a while. She was short and petite, so by the fourth she looked a lot less freaked out and her thoughts started tumbling out.

  She sighed, “What am I supposed to do? If you are on the level, I need to stay away from it. But honestly I am leaning more toward you having a psychotic break. I should take you in, which would break Frank’s heart. You know he sees you as a brother right? Jenna loves you too.”

  I said cautiously, “If it helps, I am not crazy.” Awesome one Ben. That should help loads.

  I struggled to wake up my magic, to do anything. Nothing at all happened, except perhaps creases on my face. Apparently until I learned control immediate danger was the only answer.

  I said, “Do you remember when you found me? I was scraped up, thrown against the wall. The next day I was completely healed. I don’t even have my childhood scars anymore.”

  She nodded slowly, “But I really didn’t see anything, except a mild concussion. And I never saw any scars so that doesn’t prove anything. They called that a reinforcing delusion in school.”

  I couldn’t help it. I started laughing at her comment and couldn’t stop, which of course didn’t help my case.

  “Well you can’t arrest me with a buzz, I am almost sure that’s a rule. Why don’t you sleep down here on the couch? You can decide if I need to be arrested in the morning. Plus you can make sure I don’t run off.”

  She finished off the fourth beer and nodded. I went to get her a pillow and a sheet. She actually looked concerned for me, her cop face disappearing under
the influence of the alcohol. I realized that despite thinking I was crazy she felt safe enough with me to fall asleep in my apartment. I waited until she lay down and was settled and went off to my room to get some sleep myself.

  Chapter 9

  Saturday, August 1st, 2015, 09:06 am

  I heard his steps closer, inside the room. I instinctively knew his words were a lie. He was here to kill me. My mother was just in his way. My fear, embarrassment and helplessness all stirred into anger at the thought of this faceless man terrorizing our family.

  The furniture began to shake as the air thickened and vibrated with heat. The air itself was echoing my anger as I watched a pair of boots walk toward the bed. I glared at this intruder, this evil man that killed my mother. All the furniture launched at the intruder with my deadly intent and at such force he was pulverized and buried in the pile.

  I woke up screaming, covered in sweat. I also heard a high pitched scream down the hall. Aiya? I started down the short hall to the living room worried something was horribly wrong, the dream echoing in my mind.

  I now knew why I had blocked the memory. When I was five I had been part of the reason my mother died and I had become a killer, all within minutes. I became a taker of life at the tender age of five. No wonder I couldn’t handle it. I would have to deal later as I took in my living room, and Aiya holding the sheet up to her neck looking totally freaked out.

  My living room was a mess. It looked like a tornado had gone through, literally. I imagined my power getting unblocked during the horrifying nightmare and the mess started to make sense. Hopefully this was a onetime thing. Then I grinned, if my power got loose that was sort of proof for Aiya wasn’t it? I tried to do something, anything. But nothing happened.

  Apparently I needed training, and probably a great deal of practice. Power free or not I was still helpless right now. I flinched at the thought of the witch I would have to go see. She took flirting to a scary level.

  I grinned at Aiya and said, “Believe me now? By the way, this was an accident. I told you last night I can’t really control it yet.”

  She glared at me for my flippant tone. Then her face softened as she looked at me, eyes went a little wide as she looked me up and down. I realized I was standing in front of her wearing only boxers, my body probably glowing from the sheen of sweat. I blushed, popped on the coffee maker and headed into the bathroom.

  While closing the door I said softly, “Be out in a bit to talk,” my voice only breaking slightly.

  I now had all my memories and was overwhelmed with the loss of my mother for a few minutes as I let the water cascade down my back. But I had not lost everything, I realized I loved Aitheria. She was part caretaker, part sister, part playmate and always had been there for me. She was family, and I knew I was hers. Perhaps our connection started as duty, but it became so much more than that.

  I also realized I was a bit flippant back there with Aiya, but then maybe the annoyance would help her with the shock. I was fairly confident she wouldn’t arrest me for being fruit loops and helping abduct a woman, but I wasn’t sure how well she would take it either.

  I was a little disappointed I couldn’t just use my power now, but nothing in life is that easy. I would need to learn and practice. I was particularly worried about balance, if being faster than a vampire weakened me so fast how much worse would it be when I did learn how to compress air to be a shield? Or doing something else like that, moving the wind etc... How much faster would my stamina drain?

  I finished up my shower and put on a robe to get back to my room and dress. It only took me about 10 minutes or so altogether and I was in the kitchen getting us both coffees. Aiya smiled absently when I handed her one, perhaps this wouldn’t be so bad after all.

  I said tentatively, “So, what do you think about all this?”

  She laughed a little hysterically then said, “Well I am happy I don’t have to arrest you. I’m just wondering if I need to be put away along with you.”

  I sighed, “It was either this, you knowing, or getting your memories modified so you wouldn’t ask questions.”

  When her eyes widened I clarified, “It’s how it stays a secret. People find out all the time and are helped to forget. The thought of that happening to you was… Distasteful to me. That’s why I told you about me, but I still can’t fill in the big picture or reveal the secrets of others. Suffice it to say the supernatural has their share of law breakers just like humans, so there is a need for our own version of justice.

  “I guess I am part of that now. I needed to tell you, because if you try to be a whistle blower it will happen. No one will hurt you. You just won’t remember anything at all weird about the last 24 hours or me asking about a cell phone location. So if you decide you can’t handle it, let me know.”

  She asked me with a soft voice, “Why? I mean why did you feel it was distasteful?”

  “I guess I know it’s necessary sometimes, but it sounds like a violation to me. I didn’t want that to happen to you. Plus maybe a small part of me wanted someone else to know. You know I won’t tell Frank even though I see him as a brother as well, not unless he figures out something is very wrong anyway. I am sorry to burden you. It’s not too late if you want to forget all this.”

  She leaned over and kissed me on the cheek. I looked at her questioningly.

  She said, “Thank you for caring and trusting. As for the rest of it I think I need time to absorb it. I could get used to the idea of a bigger world though, as long as you don’t attack me with a cyclone again that is.” She grinned impishly at me.

  “I’ll try and make this the last time,” my voice colored with bemusement.

  She said, “I won’t tell anyone, the idea of someone screwing with my memories is… Freaky.”

  Then she looked around the mess of the apartment, all the tables dumped clear, “Okay, freakier.”

  Before I could comment on that my door was knocked on loudly. I looked at Aiya and she shook her head, she didn’t call anyone.

  I went over and opened it. It was my good friend Agent Kilmer, and a few others as well.

  Agent Kilmer said, “I am tired of our quarry conveniently disappearing Mr. Edwards.”

  I sighed and waved them in, as one of the agents passed me I felt cold, so I concentrated on him. My mind flooded with knowledge. Son of a bitch. Anything I said would be communicated to Nick Blake, now going under Nick Grayson. I had the agent really freaking out to. He had run the scam with his friend Nick for years, misleading the FBI team so Nick could get the money and escape.

  Of course how could I explain that, would Kilmer even believe me? A psychic he believes to be complicit over one of his own agents? Fat chance of that.

  I watched as Kilmer took in my apartment, all the stuff on the kitchen table and end tables knocked on the floor. He raised an eye at Aiya and said, “Detective.”

  Yeah, I didn’t consider how this would look until after I let him in.

  Aiya said, “Agent, what brings you by?” She was stone cop face now, no blush at all. I almost laughed as the federal vs. local joust began.

  I said, “They mislaid their suspect again, got to be the psychic’s fault.”

  She nodded wisely, “Let us locals know if you need any… Help with that agent. I need to run, you okay here Ben?”

  I nodded. She surprised me with another kiss on the cheek then sauntered out. I will never understand women but I wished I’d been guilty of what put the knowing look into the agent’s eyes at that moment. I shrugged, maybe she was just covering for me, god knows I would have an interesting time explaining it if they knew I hadn’t been with Aiya at all.

  “So how can I help you this morning Agent Kilmer? I have no idea where he is right now.”

  Kilmer said skeptically, “Really? And here I thought you knew everything. No bad lead for me to chase down this time?”

  I said, “Sorry, all out,” with a touch of annoyance.

  I grabbed another coffee. I did not
offer any to the FBI.

  “Are you going to arrest me or leave, I don’t have anything for you.”

  His voice was irritatingly smug, “Aaah, but Mr. Edwards I have something for you!”

  He handed me a search warrant. Crap.

  I sighed, “So do you have an arrest warrant too? I have stuff to do can you lock up when you leave?”

  He shook his head, “That’s fine Mr. Edwards, just don’t leave town.”

  I went outside and pulled out my cell phone to call Frank. Then in paranoia I looked at it suspiciously, what if it was tapped? Then Kilmer would tell all his agents about my phone call including the bad one. I needed that agent to believe I didn’t know the new plan, otherwise he would call with a warning whether I tell Kilmer or not.

  I did call him to find out where he was, he said he would meet me by my office. I made it a point to complain about the FBI in my apartment, just in case, to give the call an alternate validity. I waited outside. I didn’t like my paranoid mind, but what if my office was bugged now too. I laughed at myself but made plans to buy a bug detection device as soon as possible.

  Probably not a bad idea to have one as a private investigator anyway. It could have been paranoia, or it could have been my power, it was a subtle feeling. Frank showed up about 20 minutes later, he raised an eyebrow when I got in the car and removed my cell battery.

  I filled him in briefly on the morning’s events, minus the supernatural. Then explained the rest of what I got from the vision.

  “So he is now travelling as Nick Grayson, courtesy of the FBI. He will hit the Canada border at exactly 4:24 PM. Unless of course, this information gets back to Kilmer and his team, then he will change direction again. I am not sure how to deal with the agent. Can you guys bust a Fed?”

  Frank sighed, “I can call in a favor. It shouldn’t get back to Kilmer and his people. The name shouldn’t even flag the case. As far as busting his mole we won’t have to once we bring it to light, Kilmer will do it, right after we have the kidnapper and some proof.”